Stupid question re isofix bases

[StiffyByng]

We are getting (I think) a Maxi Cosi car seat for our baby due in May. The car we have just bought has Isofix fittings. I know this might sound dim, but we do need the base too, or can the car seat just fit on to the Isofix in the car itself? Is the base a way of making it simpler or an essential bit of equipment?

You need a base too.

you need the base to clip onto the isofix fittings in the car and then the car seat clips on and off the base.

Although you can use the seatbelt and ignore the isofix entirely if you prefer.

Thank you. That's made it clear. We're looking at all the packages and the base is such an expensive item that gets left out of so many of them that I did wonder.

You don't need a base.

Our twins had a baby seat each, which was expensive enough and the prospect of buying two bases as well was ludicrous. It's not hugely difficult strapping a car seat into a car there only seemed to be one way of doing ours anyway (maxi-cosi, I can't remember the model).

The baby is already strapped into the car seat when you're stapping them into the car, which makes it much easier than dealing with a wriggling toddler (or two) who have to be strapped into their child seats. Which are even more expensive than baby seats.

We've just graduated to boosters which should hopefully last the girls until they're big enough to use seats normally. But that's another thread.